Protect SNAP (food assistance) and Medicaid (MaineCare) from harmful cuts

Staff contact: Ann Danforth 

At a time when food prices have skyrocketed and the cost of living in Maine continues to rise, taking food, medicine, housing, or other essentials away from people is not a solution. Cuts to SNAP and Medicaid (MaineCare) or adding harmful 'work requirements' would devastate Maine families, local economies, and our state’s efforts to end hunger and poverty. 

Strengthen the Maine Child Tax Credit

LD 1294, An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit

Bill Factsheet
Sponsor: Senate President Mattie Daughtry
Staff contact: Ann Danforth 

The Child Tax Credit has a proven track record of strengthening the  economic security of Maine families and reducing poverty for children. It’s an investment with significant rewards for our state’s families and economy. This bill builds on steps we’ve taken in Maine to strengthen the Child and Dependent Tax Credit – it doubles the credit for children under six and targets the credit to provide additional resources to families most in need of additional financial support.  

Ensure all Mainers with low incomes can access MaineCare

Staff contact: Alex Carter

Maine is a stronger, healthier, and more resilient state when everyone has health care. Yet, immigration status prevents many Mainers from getting the care they need. We are advocating at the federal and state level to protect and improve access to essential health services, regardless of immigration status, making progress toward ensuring all Mainers with low incomes can access health care coverage.

Protect Maine people from medical debt predatory practices

LD 558, An Act to Strengthen Consumer Protections by Prohibiting the Report of Medical Debt on Consumer Reports

Sponsor: Sen. Donna Bailey
Staff contact: Andrea Steward

For many Maine families and individuals, medical debt is an unavoidable reality and a significant barrier to meeting their basic needs. Medical debt that affects a credit score can keep people from renting or purchasing a home, securing certain jobs, or buying a car to get to work. This bill will put protections in place to limit medical debt reporting and the financial harm it causes.

Safe homes can't wait!

LD 1522, An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program

Bill Factsheet
Sponsor: Rep. Ambureen Rana
Staff contact: Andrea Steward

All people in Maine need a safe, stable place to call home. In 2024, Maine legislators created the Eviction Prevention Program as a pilot to provide stability to households at most risk of becoming unhoused. This bill will make improvements to the program and provide additional resources to meet the needs of Mainers struggling with housing insecurity.

Eliminate source of income discrimination

LD 847, An Act to Prohibit Housing Discrimination

Sponsor: Rep. Cheryl Golek
Staff contact: Andrea Steward

Many landlords have been unwilling to accept tenants with housing supports like vouchers or General Assistance, making it even more difficult for families and individuals with these financial supports to secure homes in their communities or close to school and work. This bill will restore protections in the Maine Human Rights Act for tenants who experience discrimination based on their source of income.

Protect and Strengthen GA

Factsheet
Staff contact: Dina Malual

All Mainers need a place to call home, food on their table, and essential health care. GA is a statewide program of last resort for Mainers who have exhausted all other options to afford food, medicine, rent, heat, electricity, or other basic needs. The program keeps a roof over many heads, which helps save 35-50% in other costs related to health care, incarceration, and other services. As we work to build more homes, GA supports people hit hardest by rising rents, from families with young kids to older Mainers. We advocate against any cuts to this essential program and for legislation that strengthens GA.

Prevent cuts, expand access, and deliver justice through civil legal aid

LD 1022, An Act to Protect and Increase Access to Justice in Civil Legal Matters for Persons with Low Incomes 

Bill Factsheet
Sponsor: Sen. Anne Carney
Staff contact: Robyn Merrill

Civil legal aid provides legal help for people to protect their livelihoods, their health, and their families when they cannot afford it on their own. This bill would sustain one-time state funds that are slated to expire in July 2025, and would increase funding for legal services to increase access to justice. Without legislative action, civil legal services will be reduced in Maine when there is significant unmet need.

Increase Equity in Maine

Bills to Advance Tribal Self-Determination 

Sponsor: Sen. Rachel Talbot Ross
Staff contact: Dina Malual

Restoring self-government to Wabanaki Nations is necessary for racial equity. We support bills that would implement consensus recommendations from a bipartisan task force convened by the Maine Legislature to address long-standing issues with the land claims act passed in 1980 that governs the relationship between the state and the tribes in Maine.

Increase support for Maine workers

LR 2349: An Act to Modernize Maine’s Workforce Training Services, Increase Access to In-Demand Careers, and Grow Maine’s Economy

Sponsor: Sen. Margaret Rotundo
Staff contact: Catherine Buxton

Economic security is so much more than just finding a job – it’s about accessing education and community resources to meet your basic needs and thrive. This bill modernizes the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program so more Maine people can access education and training for in-demand jobs. It also moves the Peer Workforce Navigator program from a pilot program to an ongoing program that works in tandem with MDOL to offer culturally-inclusive, strengths-based case management services to workers from marginalized communities by empowering peer navigators to assist workers as they access public benefits, education, and employment opportunities.